New to DVD and On Demand Releases for September 16 - 22

19 September 2018

VIEW FROM THE COUCH

By Jay Bobbin Zap2it(Ratings for each film begin with a "star'' rating -- one star meaning "poor,'' four meaning "excellent'' -- followed by the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and then by a family-viewing guide, the key for which appears below.)

Releasing this Week:

"Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom": The Steven Spielberg-produced franchise enters its fifth chapter, with the renewed existence of the prehistoric creatures threatened by a volcano on the island where the Jurassic World theme park existed. Some bigwigs have vested interests in moving the creatures away before the lava starts flowing, and Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are enlisted to help in their roles from the previous movie. All is not what it seems, though, and those who have been acting in the best interests of the dinos -- also including Jeff Goldblum, back from the first "Jurassic Park'' -- find they've been duped. And if you think they're not happy about it, wait until you see the reactions of those whose names end in "saurus'' and "raptor.'' James Cromwell, returnee BD Wong and impressive young Justice Smith also appear. DVD extras: nine "making-of'' documentaries; "Chris Pratt's Jurassic Journals.'' *** (PG-13: P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)"American Horror Story: Cult": Just after the start of the eighth season of producer Ryan Murphy's FX anthology, this set backs up to the one before it, dealing with a Michigan town in the aftermath of the latest presidential election. Series staple Sarah Paulson plays a restaurateur drastically affected by the situation, prompting her to wonder whether she's really being attacked by a masked gang or just imagining it. Also influenced by the general circumstances is an aspiring politician (Evan Peters). Alison Pill ("The Newsroom''), Chaz Bono, Emma Roberts, Billy Eichner, Frances Conroy, Cheyenne Jackson, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Leslie Grossman, Colton Haynes, Mare Winningham and John Carroll Lynch also are in the cast. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray)"Siberia": Even if the setting isn't the most scenic -- as suggested by the title -- this action tale again lets Keanu Reeves do what he's known for in the genre. He plays an American diamond seller who's in Russia to complete a transaction with a buyer from a questionable background ... and when the deal is disrupted, the visitor fights for his survival and that of a cafe owner (Ana Ularu, "Inferno'') with whom he's newly involved. Molly Ringwald has a supporting role. DVD extra: "making-of'' documentary. *** (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)"Masterpiece: The Miniaturist": Being released on home video before it finishes its three-part PBS telecast, this drama based on Jessie Burton's novel casts Anya Taylor-Joy ("Split'') as a 17th-century teenager betrothed to a rich man (Alex Hassell, of the recent "Genius: Picasso''). Once they wed, she's unnerved to receive replicas of various elements of her new Amsterdam home in miniature, accurate right down to depicting what happens -- and will happen -- between the residents. Romola Garai, Hayley Squires and Emily Berrington also star in the BBC co-production. *** (Not rated: AS) (Also on Blu-ray)

Also Releasing this Week:

"The X-Files: The Complete Season 11": This latest round of the iconic Fox series ultimately could prove to have been the definitive final season, since Gillian Anderson has said she won't do another "X''-stint, and creator-producer Chris Carter maintains he won't continue the show without her. This season hinges in large part on the search for the son of Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny, Anderson), though the sleuthing partners still have time to investigate other supernatural oddities. Barbara Hershey and Haley Joel Osment (''The Sixth Sense'') are among new cast members here, with Mitch Pileggi and William B. Davis also back in their familiar roles. Darin Morgan and James Wong are among the returning writers and directors whose names also will be well-known to the "X-Files'' faithful. DVD extras: three "making-of'' documentaries; audio commentary on selected episodes; outtakes. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray)"Magnum P.I.": With a new version of the show about to begin on CBS, the original -- which made a star of Tom Selleck, still a formidable presence on that network via "Blue Bloods'' -- gets a home-video relaunch in two volumes, each encompassing four seasons of the series. Selleck has charisma and tropical shirts to spare as Thomas Sullivan Magnum, a Hawaii-based private detective on retainer for (and on the estate of) unseen employer Robin Masters, whose persnickety manservant Higgins (the excellent John Hillerman) is the direct liaison to the laidback Magnum. Larry Manetti and Roger E. Mosley play the hero's fellow military-veteran pals, Rick and T.C. Guest stars range from Dana Delany and Sharon Stone to Frank Sinatra and (in a "Murder, She Wrote'' crossover) Angela Lansbury. *** (Not rated: AS, V)

Upcoming Releases:

"Billions: Season Three" (Sept. 25): Axe and Chuck (Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti) both end up in unexpected positions in this season of the Showtime drama series. (Not rated: AS, N, P)"Gotti" (Sept. 25): John Travolta plays the "Teflon Don,'' John Gotti, one of New York's most notorious crime kingpins; Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, plays his spouse here. (R: AS, P, V)"Solo: A Star Wars Story" (Sept. 25): Alden Ehrenreich has the title role as the younger years of rogue pilot Han Solo are depicted by director Ron Howard. (PG-13: V)"Uncle Drew" (Sept. 25): Trying to find a way into a streetball tournament, a man (Lil Rel Howery) appeals to a legendary squad to take the court again; sports legends Kyrie Irving, Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Webber also star. (PG-13: AS, N, P)"The First Purge" (Oct. 2): This prequel to the earlier horror films details how the first 12-hour period in which lawlessness is permitted came to be; the cast includes Marisa Tomei and Steve Harris. (R: AS, P, GV)"Sicaro: Day of the Soldado" (Oct. 2): A drug kingpin's daughter is at the crux of escalating tensions among cartels; Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin reprise their roles from "Sicario.'' (R: AS, P, GV)Oldies But Goodies:

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